Invalid diaper



Aug. 25, 1964 s. A. MELTQN INVALID DIAPER Original Filed Dec. 14, 1959FIG. I

INVENTOR.

GL DYS A. neuron Wfi FIG.2

United States Patent 3,145,394 INVALID DIAPER Gladys Melton, Melton RestHome, Hamburg, Iowa Continuation of application Ser. No. 859,400, Dec.14, 1959. This application Dec. 22, 1961, Ser. No. 161,712 2 Claims. (1.2-224) This invention relates to pants and diapers and it is an ob ectto provide these with vertical and lateral adustability for the fittingand shape required by adults in nursing homes and hospitals.

I am aware of a patent to I. Lehr titled, Mans Brief, filed November 25,1947, Patent No. 2,431,571. My concept differs from this in having aplurality of sets of vertically substantialy spaced mutually cooperativefastenmg means on front overlapping edges of the side panels for themore firm and complete closure needed when my pants are used on aninvalid with another soaker diaper beneath. My purpose is much to bedistinguished from underpants for the non-invalid.

Each of my fastener sets has a plurality of horizontally spacedportions, each set having one part on one side panel and one on theother for lateral adjustment to the size of the patient. In this Way, alateral adjustment permits the same pants to be used on diiferentinvalid patients at the end of each laundering, eliminatmg sorting,special marking, etc., so hard in hospitals.

I am aware of a patent to B. S. Goodwin et al., issued May 8, 1951,titled, Diaper for Infants, Patent No. 2,551,667. This patent achievesadjustment simply and is excellent for an infant where shape is not sucha factor. However, adults require shape for appearance and comfort. Itis, therefore, an object to provide an adjustable pants principle whichpermits the full fitting of the adult need for desirable shape.

Another object is to provide pants which cannot only be laterallyadjusted at the side, but also can be vertically adjusted through thecrotch.

These adjustable features are very important in hospital use and in thecare of the aged because it makes it unnecessary to keep diapersseparate in washing as the same diaper can be made to fit differentpatients. The time and labor involved in keeping washable items separateis very expensive.

The adjustable feature would be also of advantage in the use of the samediaper for babies since it could be adjusted to increased size as thebaby grows.

This application is a continuation of my parent copending application,titled, Invalid Diaper, Serial #859,460, filed December 14, 1959, nowabandoned.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention willbe apparent from the following detailed description, drawings andclaims, the scope of the invention not being limited to the drawingsthemselves as the drawings are only for the purpose of illustrating away in which the principles of this invention can be applied.

Other embodiments of the invention utilizing the same or equivalentprinciples may be used and structural changes may be made as desired bythose skilled in the art without departing from the present inventionand the purview of the appended claims.

FIGURE 1 is a view showing the diaper in an open or flat position.

FIGURE 2 is a view showing the adult invalid diaper in a folded orclosed position.

While one embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the abovereferred to drawings, it is to be understood that they are merely forthe purpose of illustration and that various changes in construction maybe resorted to in the course of manufacture in order that the inventionice may be utilized to the best advantage according to circumstanceswhich may arise, without in any manner departing from the spirit andintention of the device, which is to be limited only in accordance withthe appended claims. And while there is stated the primary field ofutility of the invention, it remains obvious that it may be employed inany other capacity wherein it may be found applicable.

In the accompanying drawings, and in the following specification, thesame reference characters are used to designate the same parts andelements throughout and in which the numeral 10 refers to the inventionin its entirety, numeral 12 indicating a rear panel, numerals 14 and 16side panels, numeral 18 a crotch panel.

The upper edges of the rear and side panels are provided with acontinuous hem 32 and reinforcing rows of stitching 34 and 36 areprovided at the meeting edges of the side and rear panels. The rearpanel may also be provided with tucks or pleats, such as the pleats 38at the upper edges and 40 in the lower portion.

The rows of stitching between the rear and side panels are in divergingrelation extending from points 42 and 44 at the upper edge to points 46and 48 at the lower edge, and the crotch panel or tongue 18 is providedwith arcuate concave edges 50 and 52. The end of the tongue is V- shapedhaving edges 54 and 56 inclined upwardly from a point 58.

In use, the diaper is placed against the back of the patient and thecrotch panel 18 is brought between the legs of the patient and is causedto extend upwardly in front of the patient in lapping relationship withthe side panels 14 and 16. The side panels 14 and 16 are refolded aroundthe respective sides of the patient in position of overlapping eachother and overlapping the crotch panel 18 in positions lapping eachother and overlapping the crotch panel respectively.

There are upper and lower sets of side panel first pairs (20, 22 and 22and 20 in the upper sets, and 22b, 22a, 20a and 20b in the lower sets)which are mutually cooperative fasteners and disposed on the overlapingedges of the side panels 14 and 16.

The fastener 26' cooperates with the fastener 22', the fastener 22cooperates with the fastener 20, the fastener 20a cooperates with thefastener 22a, the fastener 22b cooperates with the fastener 26b.

The upper set of pairs 20' and 22a, and likewise 22' and 20, beingspaced apart horizontally and aligned in a horizontally straight row andthe lower set of pairs 22a and 22b, also 22a and 20b, being horizontallyspaced an equal horizontal distance to the spacing of the upper pair offasteners 20' and 22 or 22 and 20, the lower pair of fasteners alsobeing aligned in a horizontal straight row. The fasteners are soarranged that a fastener 20 or 22, for example, on one of theoverlapping side panels 14 or 16 and in one of the sets, can beconnected with either one of those fasteners 22' or 20 (in the example)of the same set which are on the other panel, whereby the horizontalsize of the pants is adjustable.

Fasteners along the upper hem 32 are also provided and can be four innumber on each side panel with two on each side panel (20 22d and 2220d) above and two on each side panel below (20 22d, and 22 20d). Thefasteners 20 are spaced horizontally with respect to the fasteners 22:!on the panel 14. The fasteners 22 are horizontally spaced with respectto the fasteners 20d on the panel 16, the horizontal distances referredto being the same.

Likewise, the fasteners 20 and 22d on panel 14 are vertically spaced anequal distance from the lower hem fasteners Ztlf and 22d on the panel 14as the upper fasteners 22 and 20d on the panel 16 are spaced above 3 thelower fasteners 22 and 20d on the panel 16. The hem fasteners 20 aredisposed in an approximate vertical row as are also the hem fasteners22d, 22 and 29d. The upper fasteners 22 and 22d are disposed in the samehorizontal row as the upper hem fasteners 22 and 20d.

When the side panels 14 and 16 are overlapped at maximum, it will befound that any fastener having the designation after it of ;f, d, a, andb, will be found to fasten with a fastener on the opposite panel havinga like designation after it.

The crotch panel 18 is provided with attachment fasteners on the righthand side thereof, including upper and lower crotch panel fasteners 24aand 24b, and the left hand side of the crotch panel 18 is provided withupper and lower crotch panel fasteners 26a and 30b.

Those parts of the remainder of the pants, as best seen in FIGURE 2(remainder meaning that part which is lapped by the crotch panel 18 inuse position), are provided with cooperative remainder portion fasteners28a and 24b on the right hand side (the right hand side referring to thewearers right hand side) of the lower side of the pants, and 26a and3017 on the left hand side of the lower side of the pants (referring tothe wearers left hand side), the various crotch and remainder fastenersbeing in a plurality of positions respectively corresponding to thehorizontal size adjustment of the pants as established by a selectedamount of overlapping of the side panels 14 and 16.

At full overlap of the side panels, as seen in FIGURE 2, the fastener28b will be attached to the fastener 24b, and the fastener 24a will beattached to the fastener 28a. Likewise, the fastener 30b will beattached to the fastener 26b and the fastener 260 will be attached tothe fastener 300.

However, it will be seen that when the side panels 14 and 16 areoverlapping to a lesser amount, then the fastener 2822 will be connectedto the fastener 28a, the fasteners 24a and 2412 will not be connected,and likewise, on the other side, the fastener 3% will be connected tothe fastener 30a and the fasteners 26a and 26b will not be connected.

With the double rows of snaps the size of a diaper is adjustable.However, the diapers may be provided in different sizes.

The diaper may be made of rubberized double-textured fiannelette orother suitable material, and the material should be such that can bewashed, boiled, and bleached.

From the foregoing specification it will become apparent that theinvention disclosed will adequately accomplish the functions for whichit has been designed and in an economical maner, and that itssimplicity, accuracy, and ease of operation are such as to provide arelatively inexpensive device considering what it will accomplish, andthat it will find an important place in the art to which it appertainswhen once placed on the market.

It is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the inventionrelates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the inventionafter considering the description in connection with the drawings.

Changes in shape, size, and arrangement of details and parts such ascome within the purview of the invention claimed may be resorted to inactual practice, if desired.

I claim:

1. Adjustable pants comprising: a rear panel, side panels, and a crotchpanel attached to said rear panel and when in use extending through thecrotch of the wearer and having a forward end which extends upwardly infront of the user in lapping relationship with said side panels, saidside panels having forward edges which overlap one another in use, upperand lower sets of side panel first pairs of mutually cooperativefasteners on said overlapping edges of said side panels, said upper setof pairs being spaced apart horizontally and aligned in a horizontalstraight row and said lower set of pairs being horizontally spaced anequal horizontal distance to said upper pair and being also aligned in ahorizontal straight row, said fasteners being so arranged that afastener on one of said overlapping side panels and in one of said setscan be connected with either one of those fasteners of the same setwhich are on the other panel whereby the horizontal size of the pants isadjustable, upper and lower crotch panel attachment fasteners, saidcrotch panel attachment fasteners being arranged on the crotch panel andalso on those parts of the remainder of said pants which are lapped bysaid crotch panel in positions for fixing said crotch panel to thoseparts of the remainder of said pants which lap said crotch panel in aplurality of positions corresponding to the horizontal size adjustmentof said pants established by a selected amount of overlapping of saidside panels.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which said crotch panel is specificallyunderlapped with respect to said side panels for best water retention.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,195,618 Smallwood Aug. 22, 1916 2,431,571 Lehr Nov. 25, 1947 2,828,745Deutz Apr. 1, 1958

1. ADJUSTABLE PANTS COMPRISING: A REAR PANEL, SIDE PANELS, AND A CROTCHPANEL ATTACHED TO SAID REAR PANEL AND WHEN IN USE EXTENDING THROUGH THECROTCH OF THE WEARER AND HAVING A FORWARD END WHICH EXTENDS UPWARDLY INFRONT OF THE USER IN LAPPING RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID SIDE PANELS, SAIDSIDE PANELS HAVING FORWARD EDGES WHICH OVERLAP ONE ANOTHER IN USE, UPPERAND LOWER SETS OF SIDE PANEL FIRST PAIRS OF MUTUALLY COOPERATIVEFASTENERS ON SAID OVERLAPPING EDGES OF SAID SIDE PANELS, SAID UPPER SETOF PAIRS BEING SPACED APART HORIZONTALLY AND ALIGNED IN A HORIZONTALSTRAIGHT ROW AND SAID LOWER SET OF PAIRS BEING HORIZONTALLY SPACED ANEQUAL HORIZONTAL DISTANCE TO SAID UPPER PAIR AND BEING ALSO ALIGNED IN AHORIZONTAL STRAIGHT ROW, SAID FASTENERS BEING SO ARRANGED THAT AFASTENER ON ONE OF SAID OVERLAPPING SIDE PANELS AND IN ONE OF SAID SETSCAN BE CONNECTED WITH EITHER ONE OF THOSE FASTENERS OF THE SAME SETWHICH ARE ON THE OTHER PANEL WHEREBY THE HORIZONTAL SIZE OF THE PANTS ISADJUSTABLE, UPPER AND LOWER CROTCH PANEL ATTACHMENT FASTENERS, SAIDCROTCH PANEL ATTACHMENT FASTENERS BEING ARRANGED ON THE CROTCH PANEL ANDALSO ON THOSE PARTS OF THE REMAINDER OF SAID PANTS WHICH ARE LAPPED BYSAID CROTCH PANEL IN POSITIONS FOR FIXING SAID CROTCH PANEL TO THOSEPARTS OF THE REMAINDER OF SAID PANTS WHICH LP SAID CROTCH PANEL IN APLURALITY OF POSITIONS CORRESPONDING TO THE HORIZONTAL SIZE ADJUSTMENTOF SAID PANTS ESTABLISHED BY A SELECTED AMOUNT OF OVERLAPPING OF SAIDSIDE PANELS.